Document MoaKoomNrppZQr0N3rx23G5Jy

Sieve Gross/The Anniston Star Charlie Anderson of OSHA (left of star flag with hand raised) talks to employees and visitors at Monsanto during the flag-raising ceremony Monday. Monsanto celebrates federal safety award By Frederick Burger Star Business Editor The official recognition came in May, but management and workers at Monsanto's Anniston plant took time out Monday to celebrate for mally their receipt of a coveted federal award for workplace safety. "This is very significant, and we are delighted with this remarkable achievement," said Charlie Anderson, the assistant adminis trator for OSHA's Atlanta office. The citation from the U.S. Labor Department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration desig nates Monsanto's local plant as a member of OSHA's Voluntary Protection Plan. The Monsanto fa cility entered the three-tiered VPP program at the Star level, the highest step and the hardest to attain. Monsanto is one of only about 125 companies nationally that are members of the VPP program, said Pamela Evatt, an OSHA's VPP coordinator. Of the total member ship, about 34 companies are in the Southeast, and about half of those are in Alabama. In February 1992, Southern Tool in Oxford became the first local company inducted into the VPP program. It entered the program at the second-tier Merit level and is working to reach the Star level. Part of the Monsanto observance included raising a white VPP-Star flag at the plant off Alabama 202, which primarily makes Therminol, a heat-transfer fluid used to warm such things as oil pipe lines and keep the oil flowing. It also makes Paranitrophenol, which is used in such medications as Tylenol. Monsanto has long maintained a self-regulated safety program and had little trouble attaining the See Monsanto/7A Monsanto From Page 5A____ VPP-Star designation. The most serious injuries suffered at the plant in the last couple of years were relatively minor cuts and bruises, said Michael R. Bork, the com pany's local administrative assis tant. To qualify for the Voluntary Protection Program, a company must undergo an OSHA audit and demonstrate exemplary safely and health programs and practices that significantly exceed OSHA's com pliance regulations. In 199J, Monsanto executives set a goal of having all its roughly 30 U.S. plants qualify for OSHA's VPP program by the end of 1997. The Anniston plant, which employs 106, is the company's second to be included in the Voluntary Protec tion Plan. DSW 133552 STLCOPCB4033510 In our opinion "...It is the duty of a newspaper to Deco mo the attorney for the most defenseless among its subscribers. ' Col Hany M Ayors. Piesident end Publisher 1910-196-1 H. BRANDT AYKRS t-ditor and Publisher 1> A. SAN(il INKTT1 President Page 4 The Anniston Star, Friday Oct. 22, 1993 fje Mxinititan Ibtar /%2-/Vs The Anniston Stars A Safe workers S THE nation gets into Editor's note: "The Anniston Aits debate over health Stars" is a place for applause care reform, one An and thanks. Call 236-1558, ext. the niston company has source of workplace ingotte4n50to, to record your nomination. juries. Monsanto's Anniston plant has been awarded a prestigious federal award for workplace safety. Credit goes not to any one person, but to all 106 employees. The U.S. Labor Depart ment's Occupational Safety and Health Administration des ignated the Anniston chemical ual employees. With such safe ty in the workplace, the chances of injuries and lost time decrease. Costs can be kept down, productivity stays up, the work environment is less stressful and the overall work experience is better for everyone. plant a Star worksite, the highest honor in a voluntary protection program. Monsanto, EVERAL other Alabama Sworksites -- including Oxford's Southern Tool which already had a long-term -- have become involved in safety program in place, the safety program. Monsan earned the honor by demon to's success can be seen as an strating exemplary safety and example not only for those health programs and exceeding other companies, but for the OSHA compliance regu rest of us as well. As em lations. ployers and employees work The award is important not together to improve safety on only for the company as a the job, we all contribute to the whole, but also for the individ- general well-being. DSW 133553 STLCOPCB4033511